342 Pleasant Ways in Science. 



Continent of Europe in definite, well-proportioned, and, so to 

 speak, eloquent curves. Nothing, apparently, prevents that the 

 atmosphere should be delineated and mapped down at regular 

 intervals of time, with the same distinctness as the shoals and 

 currents of the sea. The course of European storms is clearly 

 traced, upon these charts, arriving from the North Atlantic 

 Ocean upon the coasts of Ireland and Scotland, and thence 

 passing eastward across the North Sea to the Continent of 

 Europe, where they descend to the Mediterranean Sea, or 

 traverse the continent to the east of Russia. All that remains 

 to be ascertained with regard to these revolving storms is the 

 place and mode of their formation, concerning which it must 

 be confessed that much uncertainty prevails. Perhaps the 

 Atlantic Telegraph Cable, when completed, by connecting- 

 Europe with the opposite lip of the great Atlantic basin, will 

 supply us with the missing link. At present, the subject is 

 made one of increasing interest, by Mr. Le Verrier's recently- 

 undertaken study of the meteorology of the North Atlantic 

 Ocean. 



PLEASANT WAYS IN SCIENCE. 



No. II. — Equilibrium and Repose. 



In the first of these papers we considered certain facts belong- 

 ing to what we designated " Curiosities of Motion." We 

 found that all things change, and that nothing is absolutely 

 still. Let us now consider a few phenomena belonging to 

 conditions of equilibrium and repose. In an absolute sense, 

 no objects can be so described, but very close approximations 

 to these conditions may be found throughout the universe. 

 Equilibrium means a state of equal balance, and we shall arrive- 

 at some elementary and serviceable ideas by considering a pair 

 of scales, or, more simply, a well-balanced scale-beam, without 

 the pans. If such a beam be placed in perfectly still air, and 

 away from sources of disturbance, it will remain perfectly level ; 

 but if accurately made, the slightest force acting upon either 

 end will produce an oscillation, and, if continuous, a subsidence 

 of the end affected. A feeble current of air, a very small 

 magnetic or electric attraction or repulsion, a gentle heating of 

 one end, with consequent expansion changing the position of 

 the centre of gravity — any of these things will disturb the 

 equilibrium, and cause a state of motion to follow the state of 

 rest. 



Now, making a pair of scales may appear a very simple 

 thing, and yet, when a near approach to perfection is required,. 



